In an imaging device, such as an electrophotographic printer, copier, or fax machine, that uses a scanning device to expose a photoconductor, imaging data is used to control the application of current to a laser diode to form a latent electrostatic image on the surface of the photoconductor. The laser diode generates a beam that is swept across the surface of the photoconductor. The generation of high quality images can be accomplished by precisely controlling exposure of the photoconductor. The image is quantized into pixels that have a dimension in the direction the beam moves across the surface of the photoconductor. Increasing image quality can be accomplished by decreasing the minimum quantization size of the area developed onto the photoconductor for the dimension of the developed area in the direction the beam is swept across the surface of the photoconductor. In addition to decreasing the minimum quantization size of the area developed, increased image quality is also accomplished by precisely controlling the positioning of the developed area with respect to the direction the beam is swept across the surface of the photoconductor. Decreasing the minimum quantization size can be accomplished by decreasing the minimum time period that the laser diode can be turned on during a sweep across the surface of the photoconductor. A need exists for a method and apparatus that will permit a decrease in the minimum laser on time period while precisely positioning the corresponding developed area on the surface of the photoconductor.